Safety device on gas stoves



April 24, 1934. E, OLSON 1,956,514

SAFETY DEVICE ON GAS STOVES Filed Jan. 16, 1933 Fig.1 3 14 6 B Emil, Olson INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 24, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application January 16 3 Claims.

My invention relates to safety devices for gas stoves or ranges and more particularly to an attachment to be mounted below the burner or burners of a gas stove, whereby the gas may be automatically shut off.

It frequently happens in the culinary art, that the contents of a vessel, while cooking on the gas stove overflow or boil over, causing the gas flame to be extinguished although the gas continues to flow.

The idea of utilizing the overflowing liquid to shut off a further supply of gas is not new, but the present devices serving this purpose have either a complicated structure or are only suitable for use with a single burner or apply directly in their action to the stop cocks.

The object of my invention is to provide a single simple and easily constructed device which will function automatically and shut off the gas supply to a stove when the flame in any burner is extinguished by an overflow of liquid.

In order to do this I attach to the drain pan of the gas stove a straight gear or rack and cooperate therewith a circular gear or pinion which through a shaft operates a valve in the gas supply pipe.

Further objects of this invention will appear from a consideration of the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, and in which Figure 1 is a plan View partially cut away showing my invention applied to a gas stove. Figure 2 is a section along the line AA of Figure 1. Figure 3 is an enlarged section along the line BB of Figure 1. Figure 4 is an enlarged detail. Figure 5 is a plan view showing a modification of my invention.

Referring to the drawing, 1 is a gas stove having the usual burners 2 and oven 3. The gas stove is constructed in the ordinary manner with sides 4 and top pieces 5 for supporting the cooking utensils. As in the usual gas stove there is a gas supply pipe 6 running along one side to the front, then across the front and supplying the burners 2. Above the oven, or forming the roof of the oven is a piece 7, which is used as a base to hold my invention.

Above the piece 7 and directly below the burners 2 is my device which consists of a tray 8 seated in a carrier frame 9 and supporting platforms 10 and resilient supports 11. The tray 8 is an ordinary pan with upturned edges as is found under all gas burners to catch the overflow contents when liquids spill from utensils. The carrier frame 9 is slightly bigger than and 1933, Serial No. 651,961

forms a support on which the tray 8 rests. The front of the carrier frame is supported by the two small raised platforms 10, one near either end of the front of the gas stove on the piece 7. The front part of the tops of the platforms 10 are raised slightly above the rear and form a niche or step thus constructing a secure resting place for the carrier frame 9. The rear of the carrier frame 9 is resiliently supported by the two spring supports 11, one near either end of the rear of the gas stove on the piece 7. Although the spring supports shown are helical springs carried in collapsible tubes, any type of spring may be used and if desired, one leaf spring may be used in place of the two springs shown. The supports 10 and 11 are shown as screwed to the piece 7 by the screws 12 but if desired, any other means of securing the supports may be used.

The rear resilient supports are not as tall as the platform supports and so cause the tray to tip downward toward the rear. Thus any liquid spilling on the tray flows to the back part of the tray and causes that part to sink.

The carrier 9 is shown as resting on the supports 10 and 11 and removable, but if desired, it may be permanently secured to the supports. The tray 8 is not secured to the carrier and may be removed by simply lifting it out of the frame 9.

The movement of the rear of the tray and carrier is utilized to shut off the gas supply by means of straight gears 13 attached to the tray carrier, meshing with circular gears 14 on shaft 15 motivating a valve 16 on the gas pipe. Two straight gears are shown in the drawing, one attached near either end of the rear of the carrier by the screw 1'7. However, any other means of attaching the gear could be used, and if desired, one gear could be substituted for the two shown.

The shaft 15 supported by two bearings 16, one at either side of the gas stove resting on and attached to the piece 7, in any convenient manner, carries the two circular gears 14 in a meshing position with the two straight gears. One end of the shaft 15 projects through a hole inside 4 of the gas stove into the valve 16 in the gas supply pipe 6 and operates a flap 18 in the valve.

When the contents of a utensil spill and extinguish the gas flame, part of the spilled liquid falls into the drain pan or tray and flows toward the rear. This causes the rear part of the tray and its carrier to tip downward under the added weight. As the tray and carrier drops the straight gear attached to the carrier turns the circular gears and shaft, which in turn rotates the flap closing the valve and stopping any further gas supply.

Figure 5 shows a modification of my invention in that the platform supports 10 at the front of the gas stove are eliminated and in their place are used the pivots 19 one at each side of the carrier and slightly beyond the center of the carrier nearer its front. The rear of the carrier is in this case only provided with one straight gear and circular gear to match. The device, however, functions in the manner previously described.

A further modification may be made by placing the pivots in the center of the side midway between the front and rear balancing the tray and carrier, and eliminating the need for the resilient supports 11. The tray in this case would tip slightly downward to the rear due to the meshing of the gears and the weight of the straight gear.

It is not intended to limit this invention to the modifications shown and described, and other modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of this invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A safety device for gas ranges comprising a valve interposed in the gas supply pipe, a tray, means for resiliently supporting the tray, said means being provided with a straight gear, a circular gear meshing with the straight gear, a shaft on which the circular gear is mounted and means for operating the valve.

2. In combination with a gas stove and its gas supply pipe, a safety device comprising a valve interposed in the gas supply pipe, a tray beneath the burners of said stove having a gear thereon, resilient supports for said tray, a shaft having a gear thereon meshing with the gear on said tray and motivating the valve in the gas supply pipe.

3. A safety device for gas stoves comprising a valve interposed in the gas supply pipe, a sloping tray provided with a straight gear, means for partially resiliently supporting said tray, a shaft, a circular gear meshing with the straight gear mounted on the shaft and operating the valve in the gas supply pipe.

EMIL OLSON. 

